Cost of Living Comparison Between Lija and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lija and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,017 per month in Lija vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,069 per month in Lija vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Lija vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Lija costs about 60% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lija sits 50% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.95 €17.19

$4.56 ฿149

337.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 €60.7

$46.63 ฿1,519

51.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 €10.12

$8.47 ฿276

38.72%

Cappuccino

$2.64 €2.27

$3.03 ฿98.6

-12.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$0.69 ฿22.45

295.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.37 ฿11.92

437.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 €4.18

$2.49 ฿81.0

95.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 €4.13

$3.66 ฿119

30.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.12

$2.18 ฿71.0

-40.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.90 ฿62.0

-17.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 €2.97

$2.20 ฿71.6

56.82%

Eggs

$3.72 €3.20

$2.22 ฿72.4

67.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 €8.58

$19.99 ฿651

-50.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 €9.15

$3.66 ฿119

190.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.05 €12.11

$13.25 ฿432

6.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 €2.94

$3.23 ฿105

5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.70 ฿55.3

19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.39 ฿78.0

15.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.83

$2.08 ฿67.7

57.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.59 ฿51.8

18.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$1.48 ฿48.31

98.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.03 ฿33.54

78.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.52 ฿16.83

148.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 €5.47

$4.25 ฿138

49.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 €5.14

$18.79 ฿612

-68.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.76 ฿57.2

32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.76 ฿89.8

-33.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 €2.35

$1.36 ฿44.32

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 €6.92

$3.14 ฿102

155.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.04 ฿33.74

81.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.22 €30.35

$13.77 ฿448

155.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.34 ฿43.79

17.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.7K €22.2K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-7.00%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.4K €34.8K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

19.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$165 €143

$124 ฿4,025

33.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$30.28 €26.08

$13.52 ฿440

123.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.71 €29.05

$18.69 ฿609

80.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 €54.6

$61.8 ฿2,013

2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.14

$17.25 ฿562

35.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 €13.16

$9.14 ฿298

67.07%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$258 €222

$703 ฿22.9K

-63.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K €10.9K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-19.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.1

$59.5 ฿1,937

73.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 €32.83

$35.07 ฿1,142

8.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 €127

$115 ฿3,754

27.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 €87.2

$84.1 ฿2,737

20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 €982

$619 ฿20.1K

84.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 €797

$433 ฿14.1K

113.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 €1,678

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 €1,293

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-0.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,544 €3,054

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-2.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,292 €2,836

$2,626 ฿85.5K

25.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

5.33

1.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lija: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,140 in Lija versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Lija versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lija vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,017 in Lija, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 60% apart. Lija costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,025 per month in Lija and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,017 in Lija and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $258 per month in Lija and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Lija at $2,017. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lija it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $2,017 in Lija. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lija makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.